Designated Driver

What Designated Driver does

Designated Driver (legal entity DesignatedDriver.ai) is a privately-held Portland, Oregon-based company founded in 2018 that builds teleoperation technology for autonomous vehicles. The company's core platform enables a remote human operator to take real-time control of an autonomous vehicle when the onboard autonomy encounters situations it cannot resolve, such as intersections, construction zones, severe weather, or sensor malfunctions. The platform operates in two modes: Remote Driving, in which the teleoperator fully assumes vehicle control using onboard cameras and sensors, and Remote Assistance, in which the AV's autonomy remains active while the operator provides guidance, waypoints, or intersection-authorization signals. The product portfolio includes a Driver Station hardware/software kit for the remote operator, a componentized In-Vehicle hardware/software kit, a managed Teleoperation as a Service offering that supplies trained and certified remote drivers, and professional integration services. The in-vehicle kit is designed to deploy as either a standalone white-labelled remote-control unit or fully integrated with existing cameras, sensors, and control units, supporting an OEM/embedded go-to-market in addition to direct enterprise sales.

The company sells to autonomous vehicle developers, transportation companies deploying AVs, and university research programs operating autonomous shuttles. Revenue is generated through three streams: subscription/recurring revenue from Teleoperation as a Service, one-time hardware sales of the Driver Station and In-Vehicle kits, and professional services for integration and customization; all pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Designated Driver's go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales with event-driven demand generation (notably the 2019 Goodwood Festival of Speed demonstration with Samsung and Vodafone) and partnership-led distribution through AutonomouStuff's Open Autonomy Pilot Program. Its most significant commercial milestone is the August 2019 deployment with Texas A&M University, described as the first commercial teleoperation system on public roads. The company has 1-10 employees and operates from a single headquarters location in Portland with no disclosed funding rounds, parent company, or ownership structure.

Name

Designated Driver

Legal name

DesignatedDriver.ai

Website

https://designateddriver.ai

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Designated Driver builds teleoperation software and hardware kits that let remote human operators take control of autonomous vehicles when onboard systems cannot resolve a situation. It sells to AV developers, transportation companies, and university research programs, with deployments including Texas A&M autonomous shuttles.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Autonomous Vehicle Teleoperation Software

NAICS

Other Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation (48599)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Autonomous Vehicles & Ground Mobility (HDAAAIAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Autonomous Driving & ADAS Perception (HDAAAEAI), Video Telematics, ADAS & AI Dashcams (TLAEAFAG)

Keywords

• Autonomous vehicle teleoperation
• Remote driving platform
• AV safety operations
• Teleoperation as a service
• Remote vehicle control

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Teleoperation as a Service: Primarily for development fleets and trained, certified remote drivers, includes in-vehicle teleoperation software. Subscription or usage-based model for ongoing teleoperation services.
2. Hardware Sales: Sale of Driver Station hardware/software kits and in-vehicle hardware/software kits for customers integrating teleoperation technology into their vehicles.
3. Integration Services: Professional services for integrating kits into vehicles and customizing software to customer needs.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Designated Driver provides a teleoperation platform that enables remote human control and assistance for autonomous and non-autonomous vehicles. Its core offerings include a Remote Driving mode (full operator control), a Remote Assistance mode (operator guidance while autonomy remains active), a Control Station hardware/software kit for remote operators, an In-Vehicle hardware/software kit that integrates with vehicle cameras, sensors, and control units, and a Teleoperation as a Service managed offering staffed by trained, certified remote drivers. The platform can be deployed as a standalone white-labelled solution or fully embedded into existing autonomy stacks.

Product overview

Designated Driver offers a teleoperation platform that enables human operators to remotely control autonomous vehicles. The core offering consists of two teleoperation models: Remote Driving (where the operator takes full control) and Remote Assistance (where the operator guides the vehicle's autonomous system). These are delivered through a modular product portfolio including Control Station hardware/software kit for the remote operator, In-Vehicle hardware/software kit for vehicle installation, Teleoperation as a Service for managed fleet operations, and Integration Services for customization. The platform can function as a standalone white-labelled remote vehicle control unit or integrate with existing on-board cameras, sensors, and control units, with optional fleet management integration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Remote Driving Model Teleoperation mode in which a remote operator fully takes control of an autonomous or non-autonomous vehicle using its cameras and sensors to maneuver through difficult situations such as obstructions, challenging road conditions, or sensor malfunctions.
• Remote Assistance Model Teleoperation mode where the autonomous system remains functional and a remote operator provides guidance and waypoints to help the vehicle safely navigate scenarios such as intersections and stops that the AV cannot resolve on its own.
• Driver Station Hardware and Software Kit Complete hardware and software kit for the remote operator station providing seamless control of autonomous vehicles, including off-the-shelf components for the teleoperator experience, passenger comfort, and AV control.
• In-Vehicle Hardware and Software Kit Componentized hardware and software kit installed in vehicles, offering customers flexibility to integrate with different vehicle types and deploy as a standalone white-labelled remote vehicle control unit or fully integrated with existing on-board cameras, sensors, and control units.
• Teleoperation as a Service Managed teleoperation service primarily for development fleets, providing trained and certified remote drivers and including in-vehicle teleoperation software on a subscription or usage-based model.
• Integration Services Professional services for integrating Designated Driver's teleoperation kits into customer vehicles and customizing software to meet specific requirements and use cases.

Quantifiable outcome

• Eliminated need for safety drivers in driver's seat, replacing them with remote teleoperation operators at dedicated operations centers
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Texas A&M UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 August 2019Texas A&M University integrated Designated Driver's teleoperation technology into its autonomous shuttles operating in downtown Bryan, Texas. This represents the first commercial deployment of teleoperation on public roads. The Remote Assistance system authorizes shuttles to proceed at intersections, with plans to add obstacle navigation capabilities.
• SamsungflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 July 2019Partnership with Samsung and Vodafone to unveil the world's first remotely-controlled 5G car at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Designated Driver provided teleoperation technology enabling Drift Champion Vaughn Gittin Jr. to remotely drive a Lincoln MKZ using a Samsung VR headset powered by Samsung Galaxy S10 5G.
• VodafoneflagshipTechnology or Integration · 14 July 2019Vodafone provided the 5G network connectivity for the Goodwood Festival of Speed demonstration, enabling ultra-low latency required for real-time remote vehicle control. The 5G network provided speeds up to 10 times faster than 4G.
• Vaughn Gittin Jr.flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 14 July 2019Professional drift champion collaborated with Designated Driver, Samsung, and Vodafone to demonstrate the world's first remotely-controlled 5G car at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, showcasing teleoperation technology capabilities through a high-profile driving demonstration.
• AutonomouStuffcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 July 2019Designated Driver is the first teleoperation provider participating in AutonomouStuff's Open Autonomy Pilot Program. The company integrates its teleoperation technology into AutonomouStuff's autonomy software and state-of-the-art research vehicles, enabling remote control for obstructions, challenging conditions, and hazardous situations.
• RC Cars NZminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorListed as a partner brand on the Designated Driver website, indicating a channel or reseller relationship for remote control car products.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Phantom Auto: Direct competitor offering teleoperation solutions for autonomous vehicles, including remote driving for low-speed and high-speed vehicles. Closest like-for-like competitor addressing the same AV developers and transportation companies with similar dual-mode (remote driving + remote assistance) capabilities.
• Ottopia: Direct competitor providing teleoperation software for autonomous vehicles, enabling remote assistance and remote driving for fleets including robotaxis, shuttles, and trucks. Comparable technology stack, customer base, and business model.
• DriveU.auto: Provides connectivity platform for teleoperation of AVs, focusing on low-latency video transmission. Comparable as a teleoperation infrastructure provider, though more focused on the connectivity layer than full remote operations services.
• Voysys: Video technology provider for remote operation of vehicles and industrial machines, including AV teleoperation. Comparable as a teleoperation video infrastructure peer with similar customer base in AV development.

Regional players

• AutonomouStuff: Partner of Designated Driver in the Open Autonomy Pilot Program; supplies autonomy software, sensors, and research vehicles. Comparable as a complementary/partner technology provider in the AV ecosystem rather than a direct teleoperation competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Waymo: Operates a commercial robotaxi service with proprietary in-house teleoperation capabilities. Comparable as a customer of teleoperation technology (potentially) but also a competitor that could build or acquire teleoperation rather than outsource to Designated Driver.
• Cruise: Major AV developer with proprietary teleoperation infrastructure for its robotaxi fleet. Represents both a potential customer and a competitive threat as it builds in-house rather than licensing third-party teleoperation.
• Motional: AV developer (joint venture between Aptiv and Hyundai) operating robotaxi services with in-house teleoperation. Comparable as an AV customer/competitor that influences the broader teleoperation market.

Emerging players

• EasyMile: Provider of autonomous shuttles and software for first- and last-mile transportation, with teleoperation capabilities integrated into its EZ10 platform. Comparable as a customer/competitor in the autonomous shuttle deployment space where Designated Driver's Texas A&M deployment operates.
• May Mobility: Operates autonomous shuttle services with teleoperation support, deploying on public roads in multiple U.S. cities. Comparable as a customer profile (AV shuttle operator needing remote assistance) for Designated Driver's technology.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/designatddrive
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ddriver/about

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Designated Driver